Gen Z's outdoor era, unpacked

Gen Z has an odd affinity for the outdoors.

How is it that the generation with the highest rates of digital eye strain has also created a huge cultural shift for so many outdoor brands? It’s pretty unexpected, but weirdly, it makes complete sense.

Recently, I had the chance to touch some grass and spend a blissful week away from my screen while exploring the beautiful sites in the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone. It was jaw-dropping, breathtaking, majestic– I could practically hear the eagle ca caw’s echoing off the mountains as an American flag waved in the background.

But what inspired this article was much less grand– it was the limited edition Hydro Flask National Park water bottles. I spotted the Yellowstone edition in a gift shop and thought it was pretty sick. The design for all three (Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Zion) pays homage to screen-printing techniques and is reminiscent of the tech-meets-nature aesthetic rise (tatumbrandt has a really nice breakdown on this if you’re curious). Not to mention, Hydro Flask has ongoing initiatives to protect and preserve parks all across the US.

For their Gen Z audience, they’re hitting a confluence of environmental concern, a love for carrying around water, and on-trend designs that fit into the Gorpcore aesthetic (more on this shortly). That’s pretty smart. I guess Hydro Flask was the it-girl of “emotional support” water bottles for a reason (if you aren’t keeping up, it was Hydro Flask, Stanley Cups, and currently Owala).

Two of those things, environmental concern and Gen Z’s infallible ability to always have water, are just two of the many factors in our attraction to the outdoors.

Let’s talk about another, Gorpcore, for a second.

Gorpcore is when functional, outdoor clothing like hiking and camping gear is incorporated into everyday, urban outfits.
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GORP is an acronym for "Good Ol' Raisins and Peanuts." So, trail mix. It first came about in 2017 but surged in popularity during the COVID pandemic, unsurprisingly. There were huge increases in everyone doing outdoor activities at that time, not just Gen Z. But Gen Z has certainly been feeling the effects of having our education and, for a lot of us, our work, remain remote more than other generations.

Pair the desire to recharge away from a screen with a love for trendy fashion and romanticizing life on TikTok, and you have a generation that loves to be outside, loves to capture it, and loves to look stylish while doing both.

It’s led to Gen Z and even Gen Alpha reshaping what outdoor lifestyle brands look like. Big outdoor brands– Patagonia, North Face, Columbia, REI have certainly taken advantage of this surge in popularity to reposition themselves as more luxury brands you’d want to wear beyond the mountains.

According to a McKinsey report, sales of outdoor products increased by 24% in 2022 compared to pre-coronavirus times.

Don’t even get me started on the rise of run clubs, pickleball, and strength training. Fitness & wellness brands are all on the rise, and many of them are redefining the look and feel of outdoor hobbies in 2025 (if you want to see the proof, just check out brands like Bandit Running or accounts like @outside.reference ).

And you know what, we’re loving it. When a group of people is pushed hard in one direction (in this case, towards the digital world), the pendulum will inevitably swing back the other way. We’re excited to see where this generation pushes this particular niche of lifestyle brands. So get outside, definitely get a support water bottle if you don’t have one already, and enjoy this little outdoor life.